Ricotta and lemon doughnuts

Doughnuts come in many shapes and sizes, although what most often comes to mind are the ring-shaped variety. These ricotta-flecked little numbers are more in the style of an Italian doughnut, and they’re so incredibly easy to make – no proving or rolling required. Use a good firm ricotta from the deli counter, rather than the ricotta you get in tubs, as it will be too wet for this purpose.

10 minutes prep.

15 minutes cooking

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

200g firm ricotta, plus 50 g extra

2 eggs

75g plain flour

20g caster sugar, plus 120g extra for dusting

1½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 180°c.

Beat 200g ricotta and eggs in a bowl until smooth, stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and half the lemon rind and mix to just combine.

Stir in the remaining ricotta, trying to keep little chunks of ricotta throughout the batter.

Combine the remaining sugar and remaining lemon rind in a bowl and set aside.

Carefully add heaped spoonfuls of batter in batches to the oil (be careful, as hot oil will spit) - the doughnuts will form in the bottom of the oil but will puff up and rise to the surface as they cook.

Fry, turning occasionally for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on paper towels and toss in the lemon sugar.

Serve hot.

RECIPES

Ricotta and lemon doughnuts

Doughnuts come in many shapes and sizes, although what most often comes to mind are the ring-shaped variety. These ricotta-flecked little numbers are more in the style of an Italian doughnut, and they’re so incredibly easy to make – no proving or rolling required. Use a good firm ricotta from the deli counter, rather than the ricotta you get in tubs, as it will be too wet for this purpose.

10 minutes prep.

15 minutes cooking

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

200g firm ricotta, plus 50 g extra

2 eggs

75g plain flour

20g caster sugar, plus 120g extra for dusting

1½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 180°c.

Beat 200g ricotta and eggs in a bowl until smooth, stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and half the lemon rind and mix to just combine.

Stir in the remaining ricotta, trying to keep little chunks of ricotta throughout the batter.

Combine the remaining sugar and remaining lemon rind in a bowl and set aside.

Carefully add heaped spoonfuls of batter in batches to the oil (be careful, as hot oil will spit) - the doughnuts will form in the bottom of the oil but will puff up and rise to the surface as they cook.

Fry, turning occasionally for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on paper towels and toss in the lemon sugar.